U.S. patent application number 10/045647 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-08 for image-forming method and printing medium and sheet cartridge therefor.
Invention is credited to Minowa, Yoshiki.
Application Number | 20020105570 10/045647 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18880513 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020105570 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Minowa, Yoshiki |
August 8, 2002 |
Image-forming method and printing medium and sheet cartridge
therefor
Abstract
There is provided an image-forming method which is capable of
carrying out edge-to-edge properly on a medium such as a card, and
a print medium and a sheet cartridge for use in the image-forming
method. An image is printed on an ink image-receiving sheet by
using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink
to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet. The image is fixed on
the medium body by heating the ink image-receiving sheet and a
medium body overlaid to each other and thereby causing diffusion of
the sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet on a
surface of the medium body for color development. Then, the ink
image-receiving sheet is removed from the medium body having the
image fixed thereon. In this image-forming method, the ink
image-receiving sheet is formed to have a larger size than the
medium body.
Inventors: |
Minowa, Yoshiki; (Okaya-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOGAN & HARTSON L.L.P.
500 S. GRAND AVENUE
SUITE 1900
LOS ANGELES
CA
90071-2611
US
|
Family ID: |
18880513 |
Appl. No.: |
10/045647 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
347/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41M 5/0256 20130101;
B41M 5/0358 20130101; B41J 11/002 20130101; B41J 11/0024 20210101;
B41J 11/0065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
347/102 |
International
Class: |
B41J 002/01 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 22, 2001 |
JP |
2001-013698 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image-forming method comprising the steps of: printing an
image on an ink image-receiving sheet by using a sublimable dye
ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink
image-receiving sheet; fixing the image in a surface of a medium
body by heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body
overlaid to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the
sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the
surface of the medium body for color development; and removing the
ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body having the image
formed thereon, wherein the ink image-receiving sheet is larger in
size than the surface of the medium body.
2. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet has a separator affixed to a surface thereof,
for protection of the surface, and the image-forming method further
including the step of peeling off the separator before the step of
printing.
3. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the medium
body has a fluorine film layer laminated on a surface thereof.
4. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet is peelably affixed to the surface of the
medium body.
5. An image-forming method according to claim 4, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet is formed of a material which is made easy to
peel off by heating.
6. An image-forming method according to claim 4, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet is continuous with respect to a plurality of
the medium bodies.
7. An image-forming method according to claim 6, wherein the
plurality of medium bodies are integrally formed in a state
separable from each other along cutting lines.
8. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body are formed separately,
and the image-forming method further including the step of
overlaying an ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving sheet
to the surface of the medium body and affixing the ink
image-receiving sheet to the medium body.
9. An image-forming method according to claim 8, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet is rolled out from a roll thereof.
10. An image-forming method according to claim 9, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet has a separator affixed to an image-receiving
surface thereof, for protection of the surface, and the
image-forming method further including the step of peeling off the
separator before the step of printing.
11. An image-forming method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the
ink image-receiving sheet removed from the medium body is taken
up.
12. An image-forming method according to claim 9, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet has a separator affixed to an opposite
surface thereof to an image-receiving surface thereof, for
protection of the image-receiving surface, and the image-forming
method further including the step of separating the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid and affixed to
each other from the separator, after the step of overlaying and
before the step of fixing the image.
13. An image-forming method according to claim 12, wherein the
separator which has been separated from the ink image-receiving
sheet and the medium body is taken up.
14. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body are formed separately,
the ink image-receiving sheet having a separator affixed to an
image-receiving surface thereof, and the image-forming method
further including the step of overlaying the medium body to an
opposite surface of the ink image-receiving sheet to an
image-receiving surface thereof and affixing the medium body to the
ink image-receiving sheet, and the step of separating the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body from the separator,
before the step of printing.
15. An image-forming method according to claim 14, wherein the ink
image-receiving sheet is rolled out from a roll thereof.
16. An image-forming method according to claim 15, wherein the
separator which has been separated is taken up.
17. An image-forming method according to claim 12 or 14, wherein
the ink image-receiving sheet is formed of a material which is made
easy to peel off by heating.
18. An image-forming method according to claim 8 or 14, wherein the
medium body has a fluorine film layer laminated on a surface
thereof to which the ink image-receiving sheet is overlaid.
19. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the
medium body is a card.
20. An image-forming method according to claim 1, wherein the step
of printing includes printing by an ink jet printing method.
21. A print medium comprising: a medium body having a surface; and
an ink image-receiving sheet larger in size than the surface of the
medium body; the print medium being used in an image-forming method
comprising the steps of: printing an image on an ink
image-receiving sheet by using a sublimable dye ink, thereby
causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink
image-receiving sheet; fixing the image in the surface of the
medium body by heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium
body overlaid to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the
sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the
surface of the medium body for color development; and removing the
ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body having the image
formed thereon.
22. A print medium according to claim 21, configured to have an
identical member-lamination structure on both of a front surface
side and a back surface side thereof, such that images can be
formed on both of the front surface side and the back surface side
thereof.
23. A sheet cartridge for use in an image-forming method, the
image-forming method including the steps of: printing an image on
an ink image-receiving sheet rolled out from a roll thereof, by
using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink
to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet, the ink
image-receiving sheet being larger in size than a surface of a
medium body and formed separately from the medium body, overlaying
an ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving sheet to the
surface of the medium body and affixing the ink image-receiving
sheet to the medium body, fixing the image in the surface of the
medium body by heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium
body overlaid to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the
sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the
surface of the medium body for color development, removing the ink
image-receiving sheet from the medium body having the image formed
thereon, and taking up the ink image-receiving sheet removed from
the medium body, the sheet cartridge comprising: said roll of the
ink image-receiving sheet; a supply reel for rolling out the ink
image-receiving sheet therefrom; a sheet take-up reel for taking up
the ink image-receiving sheet rolled out; and a single cartridge
casing accommodating said roll of the ink image-receiving sheet,
said supply reel, and said sheet take-up reel.
24. A sheet cartridge for use in an image-forming method, the
image-forming method including the steps of: printing an image on
an ink image-receiving sheet rolled out from a roll thereof, by
using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink
to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet, the ink
image-receiving sheet being larger in size than a surface of a
medium body, formed separately from the medium body, and having a
separator affixed to an opposite surface thereof to an
image-receiving surface thereof for receiving an image of the
sublimable dye ink, overlaying an ink-holding portion of the ink
image-receiving sheet to the surface of the medium body and
affixing the ink image-receiving sheet to the medium body,
separating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body
overlaid and affixed to each other from the separator, fixing the
image in the surface of the medium body by heating the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid to each other
and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye ink held in the
ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the medium body for
color development, removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the
medium body having the image formed thereon, and taking up the
separator separated from the ink image-receiving sheet and the
medium body, the sheet cartridge comprising: said roll of the ink
image-receiving sheet; a supply reel for rolling out the ink
image-receiving sheet; a separator take-up reel for taking up the
separator removed from the medium body; and a single cartridge
casing accommodating said ink image-receiving sheet, said supply
reel, and said sheet take-up reel.
25. A sheet cartridge for use in an image-forming method, the
image-forming method including the steps of: overlaying a medium
body to an image-receiving surface of an image-receiving sheet
formed separately from the medium body, the image-receiving surface
being for receiving an image of a sublimable dye ink, and affixing
the medium body and the image-receiving sheet to each other, the
ink image-receiving sheet being larger in size than a surface of
the medium body, having a separator affixed to an opposite surface
thereof to the image-receiving surface thereof, and being rolled
out from a roll thereof, separating the ink-receiving sheet and the
medium body overlaid and affixed to each other from the separator,
printing an image on the image-receiving surface of the ink
image-receiving sheet, by using the sublimable dye ink, thereby
causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink
image-receiving sheet, fixing the image in the surface of the
medium body by heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium
body overlaid to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the
sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the
surface of the medium body for color development, removing the ink
image-receiving sheet from the medium body having the image formed
thereon, and taking up the separator separated from the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body, the sheet cartridge
comprising: said roll of the ink image-receiving sheet; a supply
reel for rolling out the ink image-receiving sheet; a separator
take-up reel for taking up the separator removed from the medium
body; and a single cartridge casing accommodating said roll of the
ink image-receiving sheet, said supply reel, and said sheet take-up
reel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an image-forming method for
printing images by using sublimable dye ink, and a print medium and
a sheet cartridge for use in the method.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] Conventionally, dye sublimation printers capable of printing
color images on print media by using sublimable dye ink include two
types, i.e. a thermal sublimation printer and an ink-jet type
sublimation printer. The ink-jet type sublimation printer carries
out printing by ejecting sublimable dye ink onto a print medium
having an ink image-receiving layer formed on a surface thereof for
receiving sublimable dye ink, and then heats the print medium to
sublime/diffuse the droplets of the sublimable dye ink ejected onto
the print medium, thereby forming an image. The ink image-receiving
layer of the print medium is laminated on a surface of a medium
body of the print medium by coating the same in the form of a
layer.
[0005] However, in such a conventional image-forming method using
the above print medium, since the laminated ink image-receiving
layer has a surface identical in width to that of the medium body
of the print medium, when printing is effected on the whole surface
of the print medium from edge to edge (i.e. when so-called
edge-to-edge printing is effected) by the ink jet printing method,
ink droplets are liable to be deposited even on the end faces of
the print medium. As a result, the print medium subjected to
edge-to-edge printing is provided in a state of its end faces being
stained unintentionally, which causes user discomfort. Apparently,
it is possible to avoid this problem if the edge portions of the
surface of the print medium are not used for printing. However, in
this case, the unprinted edge portions are conspicuous for absence
of a background color, which diminishes the value of the print
medium as a product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide an image-forming
method which is capable of properly carrying out edge-to-edge
printing on a medium, such as a card, without staining the end
faces thereof, and a print medium and a sheet cartridge for use in
the method.
[0007] To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of
the invention, there is provided an image-forming method comprising
the steps of:
[0008] printing an image on an ink image-receiving sheet by using a
sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink to be
held by the ink image-receiving sheet;
[0009] fixing the image in a surface of a medium body by heating
the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid to each
other and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye ink held
in the ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the medium body
for color development; and
[0010] removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body
having the image formed thereon,
[0011] wherein the ink image-receiving sheet is larger in size than
the surface of the medium body.
[0012] According to this image-forming method, when an image is
printed on the print medium, the sublimable dye ink is impregnated
into the ink image-receiving sheet and held in the same. Then,
heating of the print medium in this state causes evaporation and
diffusion of the sublimable dye ink from the ink image-receiving
sheet deep into the surface layer of the medium body as migration
particles having sizes at a molecular level, and color development
to form an image thereon. Then, the ink image-receiving sheet is
removed from the medium body to expose the surface of the medium
body, whereby a highly durable medium body having the image formed
thereon is easily provided.
[0013] Further, the ink image-receiving sheet capable of
temporarily holding the sublimable dye ink is slightly larger than
the medium body, so that by carrying out printing on an area
slightly beyond the size of the medium body, print image can be
transferred properly onto the whole or edge-to-edge surface of the
medium body in the step of fixing the image.
[0014] In this connection, it is preferred that a lamp light source
formed e.g. by a halogen lamp is used for heat treatment carried
out in the step of fixing the image.
[0015] Preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet has a separator
affixed to a surface thereof, for protection of the surface, and
the image-forming method further including the step of peeling off
the separator before the step of printing.
[0016] According to this preferred embodiment, since the ink
image-receiving sheet keeps the separator on the printing surface
thereof which serves as an image-receiving surface for receiving
the sublimable dye ink, until printing is effected, it is possible
to protect the printing surface of the ink image-receiving sheet
properly until execution of the step of printing. Further, when
print media are stored in a state stacked one upon another, it is
possible to prevent an ink image-receiving sheet from sticking to
another medium body, which facilitates management of the print
media.
[0017] Preferably, the medium body has a fluorine film layer
laminated on a surface thereof.
[0018] According to this preferred embodiment, when the ink
image-receiving sheet is heated, the sublimable dye ink held in the
ink image-receiving sheet passes through the fluorine film layer,
followed by being diffused and fixed in the surface layer of the
medium body. Then, after the ink image-receiving sheet is removed,
the image fixed in the surface layer of the medium body is
protected by the fluorine film layer as an outermost surface layer
thereof. As a result, the image is properly protected by the
fluorine film layer functioning similarly to a laminating film. At
the same time, the surface of the medium body becomes not only
weather-resistant, light-resistant, heat-resistant, rub or
abrasion-resistant and chemical-resistant, but also glossy due to
characteristics of the fluorine film layer.
[0019] Preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is peelably
affixed to the surface of the medium body.
[0020] According to this preferred embodiment, a print medium can
be provided in a state of the ink image-receiving sheet laminated
on the surface of the medium body thereof. This makes it possible
to prevent the ink image-receiving sheet from being displaced from
the medium body and hence to subject the print medium in a stable
fashion to the step of printing and the step of fixing the image.
Further, it is possible to peel the ink image-receiving sheet off
the medium body with ease in the step of removing the ink
image-receiving sheet.
[0021] More preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is formed of
a material which is made easy to peel off by heating.
[0022] According to this preferred embodiment, the ink
image-receiving sheet overlaid and affixed to the medium body can
be easily peeled off after being heated in the step of fixing the
image. Therefore, the ink image-receiving sheet can be easily
peeled off the medium body in the step of removing the ink
image-receiving sheet. However, it cannot be peeled off easily
before being heated, and hence it is possible to prevent
degradation of ease of handling of the medium body and the ink
image-receiving sheet.
[0023] More preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is continuous
with respect to a plurality of the medium bodies.
[0024] According to this preferred embodiment, a single ink
image-receiving sheet is affixed to surfaces of a plurality of
medium bodies in a manner covering the medium bodies. Therefore,
the plurality of medium bodies can be collectively provided by a
single unit. It should be noted that the plurality of medium bodies
may be affixed to the single ink image-receiving sheet with
predetermined spaces provided therebetween.
[0025] Further preferably, the plurality of medium bodies are
integrally formed in a state separable from each other along
cutting lines.
[0026] According to this preferred embodiment, since the plurality
of medium bodies formed as a single unit can be easily separated
from each other by being cut off or punched out along the cutting
lines. Accordingly, this method is advantageous particularly in
batch processing which is carried out by subjecting the plurality
of medium bodies as a single unit to the step of printing and the
step of fixing the image.
[0027] Preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium
body are formed separately, and the image-forming method further
including the step of overlaying an ink-holding portion of the ink
image-receiving sheet to the surface of the medium body and
affixing the ink image-receiving sheet to the medium body.
[0028] According to this preferred embodiment, when an image is
printed on the print medium, the sublimable dye ink is impregnated
into the ink image-receiving sheet and held in the same. Then, the
ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving sheet impregnated
with the sublimable dye ink is properly positioned and overlaid to
the medium body. Further, when heat treatment is carried out in
this state, this causes evaporation and diffusion of the sublimable
dye ink from the ink image-receiving sheet deep into the surface
layer of the medium body as migration particles having sizes at a
molecular level, and color development to form the image therein.
Then, the ink image-receiving sheet is removed from the medium
body, whereby a highly durable medium body having the image formed
thereon is easily provided.
[0029] Further, the ink image-receiving sheet capable of
temporarily holding the sublimable dye ink is slightly larger than
the medium body, so that by carrying out printing on an area
slightly beyond the size of the medium body, print image can be
transferred properly onto the whole or edge-to-edge surface of the
medium body in the step of fixing the image.
[0030] More preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is rolled out
from a roll thereof.
[0031] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
easily manage the ink image-receiving sheet as well as to carry out
continuous printing on the same.
[0032] Further preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet has a
separator affixed to an image-receiving surface thereof, for
protection of the surface, and the image-forming method further
includes the step of peeling off the separator before the step of
printing.
[0033] According to this preferred embodiment, the ink
image-receiving sheet can be wound into a roll while causing the
separator to impart appropriate rigidity thereto. Further, until
the sheet is subjected to the step of printing, the image-receiving
surface thereof can be properly protected, and sticking of a back
surface of the sheet in a roll to the ink-receiving surface can be
prevented, which further facilitates management of the ink
image-receiving sheet.
[0034] Further preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet removed
from the medium body is taken up.
[0035] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
easily manage the used ink image-receiving sheet. Further, the used
ink image-receiving sheet can be discarded in the form of a
roll.
[0036] Further preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet has a
separator affixed to an opposite surface thereof to an
image-receiving surface thereof, for protection of the
image-receiving surface, and the image-forming method further
including the step of separating the ink image-receiving sheet and
the medium body overlaid and affixed to each other from the
separator, after the step of overlaying and before the step of
fixing the image.
[0037] According to this preferred embodiment, the ink
image-receiving sheet having the separator affixed to the opposite
surface thereof to the image-receiving surface thereof is wound
into a roll with rigidity imparted thereto by the separator. In
this case, first in the step of printing, an image is printed on
the image-receiving surface of the ink image-receiving sheet with
the separator affixed thereto, and then the medium body is
laminated on the ink-holding portion of the image-receiving
surface. Thereafter, the ink image-receiving sheet having the
medium body affixed to the ink-holding portion thereof is separated
from the separator, whereby the image-forming process can proceed
to the step of fixing the image. It is preferred that either the
ink image-receiving sheet or the medium body is coated with an
adhesive.
[0038] Still more preferably, the separator which has been
separated from the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body is
taken up.
[0039] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
easily manage the used separator which is no longer needed for
imparting rigidity to the ink image-receiving sheet. Further, the
used ink image-receiving sheet (separator) can be discarded in the
form of a roll.
[0040] Preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium
body are formed separately, the ink image-receiving sheet having a
separator affixed to an image-receiving surface thereof, and the
image-forming method further including the step of overlaying the
medium body to an opposite surface of the ink image-receiving sheet
to an image-receiving surface thereof and affixing the medium body
to the ink image-receiving sheet, and the step of separating the
ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body from the separator,
before the step of printing.
[0041] According to this preferred embodiment, first, a medium body
is overlaid and laminated on the opposite surface of the ink
image-receiving sheet to the surface (image-receiving surface)
thereof having the separator affixed thereto, and then the ink
image-receiving sheet having the medium body affixed thereto is
separated from the separator to subject the ink image-receiving
sheet and the medium body to the step of printing. In the step of
printing, when an image is printed on the ink image-receiving
sheet, the sublimable dye ink is impregnated into the ink
image-receiving sheet and held in the same. Then, heat treatment
carried out in this state causes evaporation and diffusion of the
sublimable dye ink from the ink image-receiving sheet deep into the
surface layer of the medium body as migration particles having
sizes at a molecular level, and color development to form the image
thereon. Then, the ink image-receiving sheet is removed from the
medium body, whereby a highly durable medium body having the image
formed thereon is easily provided.
[0042] Further, the ink image-receiving sheet capable of
temporarily holding the sublimable dye ink is slightly larger than
the medium body, so that by carrying out printing on an area
slightly beyond the size of the medium body, a print image can be
transferred properly onto the whole or edge-to-edge surface of the
medium body in the following step of fixing the image, without
staining the end faces of the medium body.
[0043] More preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is rolled out
from a roll thereof.
[0044] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
easily manage the ink image-receiving sheet.
[0045] Further preferably, the separator which has been separated
from the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body is taken
up.
[0046] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
easily manage the used separator which is no longer needed for
imparting rigidity to the ink image-receiving sheet.
[0047] More preferably, the ink image-receiving sheet is formed of
a material which is made easy to peel off by heating.
[0048] According to this preferred embodiment, the ink
image-receiving sheet overlaid and affixed to the medium body can
be easily peeled off after being heated in the step of fixing the
image. Therefore, the ink image-receiving sheet can be easily
peeled off the medium body in the step of removing the ink
image-receiving sheet. However, it cannot be peeled off easily
before being heated, and hence it is possible to prevent
degradation of ease of handling of the medium body and the ink
image-receiving sheet.
[0049] Preferably, the medium body has a fluorine film layer
laminated on a surface thereof to which the ink image-receiving
sheet is overlaid.
[0050] According to this preferred embodiment, when the ink
image-receiving sheet is heated, the sublimable dye ink held in the
ink image-receiving sheet passes through the fluorine film layer,
followed by being diffused and fixed in the surface layer of the
medium body. Then, after the ink image-receiving sheet is removed,
the image fixed in the surface layer of the medium body is
protected by the fluorine film layer as an outermost surface layer
thereof. As a result, the image is properly protected by the
fluorine film layer functioning similarly to a laminating film. At
the same time, the surface of the medium body becomes not only
weather-resistant, light-resistant, heat-resistant, rub or
abrasion-resistant and chemical-resistant, but also glossy due to
characteristics of the fluorine film layer.
[0051] Preferably, the medium body is a card.
[0052] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
carry out so-called whole surface or edge-to-edge printing on a
card properly, so that even when a card having a predetermined
thickness is used, deposition of ink on the side faces thereof can
be prevented. In short, it is possible to easily produce a card
excellent in print quality and abrasion or rub resistance.
[0053] Preferably, the step of printing includes printing by an ink
jet printing method.
[0054] According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to
print a clear image to the edges of the medium body while properly
preventing ink droplets ejected by the ink jet printing method from
being deposited on the end faces of the medium body. Particularly
in color printing, the ink jet printing method is more advantageous
than the thermal sublimation printing method using ink films of the
three primary colors, in that it is possible to reduce ink usage
and increase printing speed as well as to obtain an image with high
resolution.
[0055] To attain the above object, according to a second aspect of
the invention, there is provided a print medium comprising:
[0056] a medium body having a surface; and
[0057] an ink image-receiving sheet larger in size than the surface
of the medium body;
[0058] the print medium being used in an image-forming method
comprising the steps of:
[0059] printing an image on an ink image-receiving sheet by using a
sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink to be
held by the ink image-receiving sheet;
[0060] fixing the image in the surface of the medium body by
heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid
to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye
ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the
medium body for color development; and
[0061] removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body
having the image formed thereon.
[0062] According to the second aspect, it is possible to provide a
print medium suitable for the above image-forming method.
[0063] Preferably, the print medium of the second aspect configured
to have an identical member-lamination structure on both of a front
surface side and a back surface side thereof, such that images can
be formed on both of the front surface side and the back surface
side thereof.
[0064] According to this preferred embodiment, the print medium can
be used for double-sided printing. More specifically, by removing
ink image-receiving sheets from the upper and lower surfaces of the
print medium, respectively, and exposing the opposite surfaces of a
medium body of the print medium, it is possible to provide the
medium body subjected to double-sided printing.
[0065] To attain the above object, according to a third aspect of
the invention, there is provided a sheet cartridge for use in an
image-forming method, the image-forming method including the steps
of:
[0066] printing an image on an ink image-receiving sheet rolled out
from a roll thereof, by using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing
the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet,
the ink image-receiving sheet being larger in size than a surface
of a medium body and formed separately from the medium body,
[0067] overlaying an ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving
sheet to the surface of the medium body and affixing the ink
image-receiving sheet to the medium body,
[0068] fixing the image in the surface of the medium body by
heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid
to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye
ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the
medium body for color development,
[0069] removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body
having the image formed thereon, and
[0070] taking up the ink image-receiving sheet removed from the
medium body,
[0071] the sheet cartridge comprising:
[0072] the roll of the ink image-receiving sheet;
[0073] a supply reel for rolling out the ink image-receiving sheet
therefrom;
[0074] a sheet take-up reel for taking up the ink image-receiving
sheet rolled out; and
[0075] a single cartridge casing accommodating the roll of the ink
image-receiving sheet, the supply reel, and the sheet take-up
reel.
[0076] Similarly, according to a fourth aspect of the invention,
there is provided a sheet cartridge for use in an image-forming
method, the image-forming method including the steps of:
[0077] printing an image on an ink image-receiving sheet rolled out
from a roll thereof, by using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing
the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet,
the ink image-receiving sheet being larger in size than a surface
of a medium body, formed separately from the medium body, and
having a separator affixed to an opposite surface thereof to an
image-receiving surface thereof for receiving an image of the
sublimable dye ink,
[0078] overlaying an ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving
sheet to the surface of the medium body and affixing the ink
image-receiving sheet to the medium body,
[0079] separating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body
overlaid and affixed to each other from the separator,
[0080] fixing the image in the surface of the medium body by
heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid
to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye
ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the
medium body for color development,
[0081] removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body
having the image formed thereon, and
[0082] taking up the separator separated from the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body, the sheet cartridge
comprising:
[0083] the roll of the ink image-receiving sheet;
[0084] a supply reel for rolling out the ink image-receiving
sheet;
[0085] a separator take-up reel for taking up the separator removed
from the medium body; and
[0086] a single cartridge casing accommodating the ink
image-receiving sheet, the supply reel, and the sheet take-up
reel.
[0087] Similarly, according to a fifth aspect of the invention,
there is provided a sheet cartridge for use in an image-forming
method, the image-forming method including the steps of:
[0088] overlaying a medium body to an image-receiving surface of an
image-receiving sheet formed separately from the medium body, the
image-receiving surface being for receiving an image of a
sublimable dye ink, and affixing the medium body and the
image-receiving sheet to each other, the ink image-receiving sheet
being larger in size than a surface of the medium body, having a
separator affixed to an opposite surface thereof to the
image-receiving surface thereof, and being rolled out from a roll
thereof,
[0089] separating the ink-receiving sheet and the medium body
overlaid and affixed to each other from the separator,
[0090] printing an image on the image-receiving surface of the ink
image-receiving sheet, by using the sublimable dye ink, thereby
causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink
image-receiving sheet,
[0091] fixing the image in the surface of the medium body by
heating the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body overlaid
to each other and thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye
ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in the surface of the
medium body for color development,
[0092] removing the ink image-receiving sheet from the medium body
having the image formed thereon, and
[0093] taking up the separator separated from the ink
image-receiving sheet and the medium body,
[0094] the sheet cartridge comprising:
[0095] the roll of the ink image-receiving sheet;
[0096] a supply reel for rolling out the ink image-receiving
sheet;
[0097] a separator take-up reel for taking up the separator removed
from the medium body; and
[0098] a single cartridge casing accommodating the roll of the ink
image-receiving sheet, the supply reel, and the sheet take-up
reel.
[0099] The sheet cartridge of these aspects make it possible to
easily manage the ink image-receiving sheet whether it may be
unused or used. More specifically, the cartridges make it easy to
handle the ink image-receiving sheet for transport or storage.
Further, after the ink image-receiving sheet is used up, it is
possible to replace the sheet cartridge with a new one, thereby
readily providing a new ink image-receiving sheet.
[0100] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0101] FIGS. 1A and 1B show structures of print media for use in an
image-forming method according to a first embodiment of the
invention, in which:
[0102] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of an inexpensive print
medium;
[0103] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a high-grade print
medium;
[0104] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the
arrangement of an image-forming apparatus to which is applied the
image-forming method according to the first embodiment;
[0105] FIGS. 3A to 3D are cross-sectional views of a print medium,
schematically illustrating a process of an image being formed on
the print medium;
[0106] FIGS. 4A to 4C are plan views of a print medium,
schematically illustrating a process of an image being formed on
the print medium;
[0107] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a variation of the
print medium for use in the image-forming method according to the
first embodiment;
[0108] FIG. 5B is a plan view of another variation of the print
medium for use in the image-forming method according to the first
embodiment;
[0109] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a medium body according
to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0110] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of an ink image-receiving
sheet according to the second embodiment;
[0111] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the
arrangement of an image-forming apparatus according to the second
embodiment;
[0112] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the
arrangement of an image-forming apparatus according to a third
embodiment of the invention;
[0113] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the
arrangement of an image-forming apparatus according to a fourth
embodiment of the invention; and
[0114] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the
arrangement of an image-forming apparatus according to a fifth
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0115] The invention will now be described in detail with reference
to drawings showing embodiments thereof. In the following,
description is given of respective cases where an image-forming
method of the invention is executed by using a plurality of kinds
of image-forming apparatuses, each of which prints images of
letters, figures, a background, and so forth, on a print medium
(card) by an ink jet printing method using sublimable dye ink, and
then applies heat treatment to the print medium after printing to
thereby fix the images thereto. In these cases, the image-forming
apparatuses use different types of print media, respectively.
Therefore, the following description will proceed while associating
a print medium for use with a corresponding one of the
image-forming apparatuses.
[0116] FIGS. 1A and 1B show print media for use by an image-forming
apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention, while
FIG. 2 schematically shows the arrangement of the image-forming
apparatus. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, in the present embodiment,
there are provided two kinds of print media A, i.e. an inexpensive
print medium Aa (FIG. 1A) and a high-grade print medium Ab (FIG.
1B). The two print media Aa, Ab are each comprised of a medium body
AM as a body of the print medium A, and an ink image-receiving
sheet AC laminated on the surface of the medium body AM. A
separator AS is affixed to the surface of the ink image-receiving
sheet AC. The medium body AM may be a roll paper, a printing tape
or a cut sheet, but in the present embodiment, description will be
given by taking a card as an example.
[0117] The medium body AM is comprised of a substrate layer 101 and
an ink-fixing layer 102 laminated on the surface of the substrate
layer 101 (see FIG. 1A). The print medium Ab shown in FIG. 1B
further has a fluorine film layer 103 laminated, in place of a
laminating film, on the surface of the ink-fixing layer 102, i.e.
on the surface of the medium body AM.
[0118] The substrate layer 101 is formed of a plastic film e.g. of
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PET (polyethylene terephthalate), or a
synthetic paper so as to maintain the rigidity of the entire card.
Further, in general, the substrate layer 101 is basically formed of
a white material. The ink-fixing layer 102 is formed e.g. of a
transparent PET film and functions as a layer into which sublimable
dye ink used for printing penetrates at the final stage of the
image-forming process. The ink image-receiving sheet AC is affixed
to the surface of the medium body AM, i.e. the surface of the
ink-fixing layer 102.
[0119] The ink image-receiving sheet AC is formed of a hydrophilic
resin material which is capable of temporarily holding the
sublimable dye ink directly ejected thereon for printing and made
easy to peel by heating. In other words, the ink image-receiving
sheet AC cannot be easily peeled off before being heated, whereas
after being heated, it becomes easy to peel off.
[0120] Further, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is formed to have
a size in plan view larger than the medium body AM. More
specifically, the ink image-receiving sheet AC has a surface width
slightly larger than that of the medium body AM and is laminated to
the medium body AM such that it covers even the end faces of the
surface of the medium body AM. Moreover, the ink image-receiving
sheet AC has an opposite surface to a surface thereof having the
ink-fixing layer 102 affixed thereto, i.e. a surface for receiving
an image of sublimable dye ink, protected by the separator AS.
[0121] The separator AS is formed of a resin material or
high-quality paper e.g. of a silicon-based material and affixed to
the ink image-receiving sheet AC thereunder to protect the same
from dust and dirt. Further, when print media A are stored in a
state stacked one upon another, the separator AS of each print
medium A prevents the ink image-receiving sheet AC from adhering to
a surface of another print medium A. When the separator AS is
peeled off the print medium A, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is
exposed, whereby the print medium is made ready for forming an
image on the medium body AM via the ink image-receiving sheet
AC.
[0122] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, when the
separator AS is removed and an image is printed by the ink jet
printing method on an ink image-receiving sheet AC which is
exposed, ink droplets of the sublimable dye ink are impregnated
into the ink image-receiving sheet AC and held in the same. The ink
droplets penetrate to the proximity of the boundary between the ink
image-receiving sheet AC and the ink-fixing layer 102 thereunder.
When the print medium A is heated in this state, the ink droplets
further penetrate deep into the ink-fixing layer 102 as migration
particles having sizes at a molecular level. More specifically, the
ink droplets held in the ink image-receiving sheet AC are heated to
be evaporated/diffused and subjected to color development in the
ink-fixing layer 102, whereby the image is formed and fixed in the
ink-fixing layer 102. Thereafter, the ink image-receiving sheet AC
is separated (removed) to expose the ink-fixing layer 102, whereby
the card having the image fixed in the ink-fixing layer 102 is
produced.
[0123] In this case, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is formed to
have a slightly larger size than the medium body AM, so that even
when printing is effected up to a position slightly beyond the
surface of the medium body AM, ink droplets ejected are received by
the ink image-receiving sheet AC and held in the same, which
prevents deposition of the ink droplets on the side faces of the
medium body AM. As a natural consequence, the image transferred
onto the medium body AM through this printing including the
off-area printing looks clear even on edges of the medium body
AM.
[0124] Similarly, when the FIG. 1B print medium Ab having the
fluorine film layer 103 laminated thereon is used for printing, ink
droplets are impregnated into the ink image-receiving sheet AC and
held in the same. When the print medium Ab is heated in this state,
the ink droplets pass through the fluorine film layer 103, followed
by being diffused and fixed in the ink-fixing layer 102. Then,
after the ink image-receiving sheet AC is peeled off, the card
having the fluorine film layer 103 as an outermost surface layer
thereof for protecting an image fixed in the ink-fixing layer 102
is produced. Thus, the card having the image formed thereon is made
more excellent in weather resistance, light resistance, heat
resistance, rub or abrasion resistance and chemical resistance due
to characteristics of the fluorine film layer 103. Further, the
fluorine film layer 103 gives a high gloss to the card.
[0125] Next, the image-forming apparatus for forming an image on
the print medium A will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The
image-forming apparatus 1 has an apparatus body including an outer
shell formed by a box-shaped casing 2, a printer block 3 arranged
at a location rightward of the central portion of the apparatus
body, for printing on a print medium A, and a heater block 4
arranged at a location leftward of the same for applying heat
treatment to the printed print medium A.
[0126] The printer block 3 includes a printer device 11 which
carries out printing on the print medium A by a head unit 12 which
is driven for reciprocating motion, a printer-block conveyor device
14 for carrying the print medium A along a transport passage 13 to
the printer device 11, and a printer-side controller 15 which
carries out centralized control of operations of the devices 11 and
14. Further, in the printer block 3, there are arranged a media
cartridge 16 and a feeder, not shown, which feeds print media, one
by one, to the printer device 11.
[0127] The printer device 11 is comprised of the head unit 12, a
carriage motor 18 as a drive source, and a reciprocating mechanism
19 which receives torque from the carriage motor 18 and drives the
head unit 12 for reciprocating motion in a direction orthogonal to
the direction of feeding of the print medium A. The head unit 12 is
comprised of an ink jet head 20 having a plurality of nozzles
formed in an underside surface thereof, an ink cartridge 21 which
supplies ink to the ink jet head 20, and a carriage 22 carrying the
ink jet head 20 and the ink cartridge 21. The ink cartridge 21
contains sublimable dye inks of four colors, i.e. yellow, cyan,
magenta, and black. The ink cartridge 21 may contain inks of six
colors including two other colors, i.e. light cyan and light
magenta, in addition to the above four.
[0128] The sublimable dye inks are each comprised of a sublimable
dye and are sublimable when exposed to heat. As described above,
each sublimable dye ink is impregnated into the ink image-receiving
sheet AC and temporarily held in the same. Then, the sublimable dye
ink is transferred into the ink-fixing layer 102 under the ink
image-receiving sheet AC by being heated in heat treatment, and
diffused/evaporated in the ink-fixing layer 102, for color
development.
[0129] The reciprocating mechanism 19 includes a carriage guide
shaft 23 having opposite ends thereof supported by frames, not
shown, and a timing belt 24 extending in parallel with the carriage
guide shaft 23. The carriage 22 is supported by the carriage guide
shaft 23 such that the carriage 22 can perform reciprocating
motion. Further, the carriage 22 has a portion thereof fixed to the
timing belt 24. When the carriage motor 18 drives the timing belt
24 via a pulley to cause the timing belt 24 to travel in the normal
and reverse directions, the carriage 22 performs reciprocating
motion while being guided by the carriage guide shaft 23. During
this reciprocating motion of the carriage 22, ink is ejected from
the ink jet head 20 as required, whereby printing is effected on
the print medium A.
[0130] The printer-block conveyor device 14 includes a feed roller
means 26 for receiving the print medium A from the feeder and
feeding the same to a printing position of the head unit 12, a
sender roller means 27 for receiving the print medium A from the
feed roller means 26 and sending the same from the printer block 3
to the heater block 4, a feed motor 28 for driving the feed roller
means 26, and a sender motor 29 for driving the sender roller means
27. More specifically, the feed roller means 26 is arranged at a
location upstream of the printer device 11 in the direction of
feeding of the print medium A, while the sender roller means 27 is
arranged at a location downstream of the same.
[0131] The feed roller means 26 is comprised of a feed driven
roller 26a positioned above and a feed drive roller 26b positioned
below, the two rollers 26a, 26b being opposed to each other via the
transport passage 13 (or the print medium A) along which each print
medium A is carried. The feed drive motor 26b is connected to the
feed motor 28, for driving the feed driven roller 26a for rotation.
The feed driven roller 26a is a free roller urged toward the feed
drive roller 26b by a spring, not shown. The print medium A brought
to the feed roller means 26 is sandwiched between the feed driven
roller 26a and the feed drive roller 26b and advanced as the feed
driven roller 26a rotates in accordance with rotation of the feed
drive roller 26b.
[0132] Similarly, the sender roller means 27 is comprised of a
sender driven roller 27a positioned above and a sender drive roller
27b positioned below, the two rollers 27a, 27b being opposed to
each other via the transport passage 13. The sender drive roller
27b is connected to the sender motor 29, for driving the sender
driven roller 27a for rotation. The sender driven roller 27a is a
free roller urged toward the sender drive roller 27b by a spring,
not shown. The print medium A brought to the sender roller means 27
is sandwiched between the sender driven roller 27a and the sender
drive roller 27b and advanced as the sender driven roller 27a
rotates in accordance with rotation of the sender drive roller 27b.
It should be noted that the feed motor 28 and the sender motor 29
may be implemented by a single motor. In this case, torque is
transmitted to the feed roller means 26 and the sender roller means
27 via a torque-transmitting mechanism including a gear train and
the like.
[0133] The printer-side controller 15 controls the printer device
11, the printer-block conveyor device 14, and so forth. The
printer-side controller 15 causes the print medium A to be fed with
an ink image-receiving sheet AC on its upside for proper printing.
More specifically, in a sequence of printing operations, the print
medium A fed from the feeder is intermittently advanced by
intermittent rotation of each of the feed roller means 26 and the
sender roller means 27, while the head unit 12 performs one
reciprocating motion during each interval between the intermittent
feeding operations to print one line. Each printing operation is
performed by the ink jet method using the sublimable dye ink such
that the feed of the print medium A and the reciprocating motion of
the head unit 12 correspond to the main scanning and the sub
scanning in printing technology.
[0134] In the present embodiment, printing is carried out on the
print medium A up to an area slightly beyond the edges of a card as
the medium body AM, for so-called edge-to-edge printing of images
including a background image. In short, ink droplets are ejected by
the ink jet head 20 even on to the area of the print medium A
beyond the edges of the card. The print medium A has the ink
image-receiving sheet AC slightly larger in size than the card, as
described above, so that even when ejected on the area of the print
medium A beyond the edges of the card, ink droplets are reliably
impregnated into the ink image-receiving sheet AC and held in the
same, which makes it possible to effect printing on the whole
surface of the card laterally and longitudinally in a edge-to-edge
fashion without staining the end faces of the card.
[0135] The heater block 4 includes a heater device 31 which applies
heat treatment to the print media A being sent from the printer
block 3 after printing, a heater-block conveyor device 33 which
carries the print media A received from the printer-block conveyor
device 14 along the transport passage 13 so as to pass the print
media A through the heater device 31 and then delivers the same out
of the casing 2 via the card exit 32, and a heater-side controller
34 which performs centralized control of operations of the devices
31, 33.
[0136] The heater device 31 is formed by a so-called non-contact
heater which faces the print medium A being send forward, in a
spaced non-contacting fashion. The heater device 31 is arranged
above the transport passage 13 and connected to the printer-side
controller 15, which controls the heating temperature of the heater
device 31. Preferably, the heater device 31 is formed e.g. by a
halogen lamp as a light source, which generates light having short
wavelengths. This makes it possible to properly heat the front
surface or ink image-receiving sheet AC of the print medium A in a
state of heat transmission to the substrate layer 101 being
suppressed.
[0137] The heater-block conveyor device 33 includes a feed roller
means 36 for receiving the print medium A from the printer block 3
and feeding the same to the heater device 31, a discharge roller
means 37 for receiving the print medium A from the feed roller
means 36 and discharging the same from the casing 2, a feed motor
38 for driving the feed roller means 36, and a discharge motor 39
for driving the discharge roller means 37. The feed roller means 36
is arranged at a location upstream of the heater device 31 on the
transport passage 13, while the discharge roller means 37 is
arranged at a location downstream of the same.
[0138] The feed roller means 36 is comprised of a feed driven
roller 36a positioned above and a feed drive roller 36b positioned
below, the two rollers 36a, 36b being opposed to each other via the
transport passage 13. The feed drive roller 36b is connected to the
feed motor 38, for driving the feed driven roller 36a for rotation.
The feed driven roller 36a is a free roller urged toward the feed
drive roller 36b by a spring, not shown. The print medium A brought
to the feed roller means 36 is sandwiched between the feed driven
roller 36a and the feed drive roller 36b and advanced as the feed
driven roller 36a rotates in accordance with rotation of the feed
drive roller 36b.
[0139] Similarly, the discharge roller means 37 is comprised of a
discharge driven roller 37a positioned above and a discharge drive
roller 37b positioned below, the two rollers 37a, 37b being opposed
to each other via the transport passage 13. The discharge drive
roller 37b is connected to the discharge motor 39, for driving the
discharge driven roller 37a for rotation. The discharge driven
roller 37a is a free roller urged toward the discharge drive roller
37b by a spring, not shown. The print medium A brought to the
discharge roller means 37 is sandwiched between the discharge
driven roller 37a and the discharge drive roller 37b and discharged
out of the casing 2 as the discharge driven roller 37a rotates in
accordance with rotation of the discharge drive roller 37b.
Similarly to the motors 28, 29 in the printer block 3, the feed
motor 38 and the discharge motor 39 may be implemented by a single
motor.
[0140] The heater-side controller 34 controls the heater device 31
and the heater-block conveyor device 33, based on results of
detection by the printer-side controller 15. The heater-side
controller 34 causes the print medium A to be properly subjected to
heat treatment while being fed or advanced. More specifically, the
heater-side controller 34 determines the heating temperature and
carrying speed of the print medium A in the heater block 4, based
on attribute information (including the kind of the medium body AM
and the material of the substrate layer 101) of the print medium A
detected by the printer-side controller 15. It should be noted that
actually, the heater-side controller 34 and the printer-side
controller 15 are formed on a single circuit board.
[0141] To form an image on the print medium A by the image-forming
apparatus 1 constructed as above, first, after the print medium A
is supplied to the feeder, the separator AS is peeled off the print
medium A to make the same ready for being brought to the printing
device 11 with its ink image-receiving sheet AC facing toward the
printing device 11. Then, the print medium A is fed to the printing
device 11 to allow the same to effect image printing on the ink
image-receiving sheet AC by using sublimable dye ink, whereby ink
droplets are impregnated into the ink image-receiving sheet AC and
held in the same.
[0142] The print medium A printed with the image is sent to the
heater device 13 for heat treatment. When the print medium A is
heated, the sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving
sheet AC penetrates into the ink-fixing layer 102 to be subjected
to color development, whereby the image is fixed in the ink-fixing
layer 102. Thereafter, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is peeled
off and thereby removed from the medium body AM to expose the
ink-fixing layer 102, whereby the medium body AM or card having the
image formed on the whole surface thereof from edge to edge is
produced (see FIGS. 4A to 4C).
[0143] According to the image-forming method described above, the
ink image-receiving sheet is formed to have a larger size than that
of the medium body, so that even when printing is effected up to an
area of the ink image-receiving sheet slightly beyond the surface
of the medium body so as to form an image on the whole surface of
the medium body from edge to edge, it is possible to prevent ink
droplets from being directly deposited on the end faces of the
medium body. Therefore, the image can be reliably formed on the
whole surface of the medium body from edge end to edge end without
staining the end faces of the medium body. In short, so-called
edge-to-edge printing can be properly carried out.
[0144] It should be noted that the print medium A may be
constructed to have the same laminate structures on the respective
opposite sides thereof. More specifically, the print medium A may
be formed by laminating ink image-receiving sheets AC on the
respective upper and lower surfaces of the substrate layer 101 of
the medium body AM, and then affixing separators AS to the
respective ink image-receiving sheets AC as uppermost and lowermost
layers for protecting the surfaces of the ink image-receiving
sheets AC, so as to allow images to be formed on the both surfaces
of the medium body AM. In this case, after the separators AS are
each peeled off, printing is effected on each of the ink
image-receiving sheets AC, and then the ink image-receiving sheets
AC are removed for exposure of the upper and lower surfaces of the
medium body AM. Thus, the medium body AM having the both surfaces
printed with respective images is produced.
[0145] Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, a print medium A may be formed
of a plurality of medium bodies continuously laminated with an ink
image-receiving sheet AC. More specifically, a plurality of medium
bodies AM may be laminated with a very large or long single ink
image-receiving sheet AC in a manner such that the surfaces thereof
are covered by the ink image-receiving sheet AC, to thereby form a
print medium A. In this case, there are provided two types of print
media, i.e. a separable type shown in FIG. 5A and a punch-out type
shown in FIG. 5B.
[0146] The separable type shown FIG. 5A has a plurality of medium
bodies AM affixed to a single ink image-receiving sheet AC at
predetermined space intervals. In other words, the plurality of
medium bodies AM are individually held by the single ink
image-receiving sheet AC. This makes it possible to collectively
supply the plurality of medium bodies AM as a single unit. To form
images on the respective medium bodies AM, each medium body AM for
printing may be separated from the ink image-receiving sheet AC
before being brought to the printer device 11, or alternatively,
may be brought to the printer device 11 as it is.
[0147] The punch-out type shown in FIG. 5B has a plurality of
medium bodies AM integrally formed with each other in a state each
defined by cutting lines for use in separating the medium body AM,
and the medium bodies AM are affixed to an ink image-receiving
sheet AC. More specifically, the plurality of medium bodies AM are
formed on a base plate B such that each of the medium bodies AM can
be easily separated from the base plate B, and each medium body can
be separated (punched out) from the other medium bodies AM along
cutting lines defining the medium body AM. This type of print
medium A is advantageous particularly in a batch process carried
out by collectively bringing a plurality of medium bodies AM to the
printer device 11 and the heater device 31 for printing and
heating. It should be noted that so long as the medium bodies AM
can be held by the ink image-receiving sheet AC in a state affixed
thereto, the medium bodies AM may be provided in a state completely
separated from the ink image-receiving sheet AC, together with the
base plate B.
[0148] The print medium A may be brought to the printer device 11
while having a separator AS thereof peeled off by being taken up
into a roll. Further, although the print medium A is provided with
the image-receiving sheet AC affixed to the medium bodies AM, it is
not absolutely required to configure the print medium A such that
the image-receiving sheet AC is affixed to the medium bodies AM so
long as the image-receiving sheet AC is appropriately overlaid upon
the medium bodies AM. It should be noted that for adhesion between
the image-receiving sheet AC and each medium body AM, it is only
required to give appropriate stickiness to either one of them.
[0149] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7. FIGS. 6A, 6B show
the structure of a print medium according to the second embodiment,
while FIG. 7 schematically shows essential parts and elements of an
image-forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. In the
present embodiment, a print medium is used which is formed
comprised of a medium body AM and an ink image-receiving sheet AC,
separate from each other, and after an image is printed on the ink
image-receiving sheet AC, the printed portion of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is overlaid to the surface of the medium
body AM. The resulting print medium is subjected to heat treatment
whereby the image is formed on the surface of the medium body
AM.
[0150] The medium body AM, which is identical in construction to
the medium body AM of the first embodiment, is comprised of a
substrate layer 101 and an ink-fixing layer 102 laminated on the
surface of the substrate layer 101. The medium body AM forms the
body of a card. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, a
fluorine film layer 103 may be laminated on the surface of the
ink-fixing layer 102.
[0151] The ink image-receiving sheet AC, which is generally
identical in construction to the ink image-receiving sheet AC of
the first embodiment, is formed of a hydrophilic resin material
capable of temporarily holding the sublimable dye ink directly
ejected thereon for printing, and has a surface width slightly
larger than that of the medium body AM. Further, a separator AS is
affixed to the image-receiving surface of the ink image-receiving
sheet AC. The separator AS is also identical in construction to the
separator AS of the first embodiment. The separator AS protects the
surface of the ink image-receiving sheet AC. The ink
image-receiving sheet AC is contained in a sheet cartridge 41 in
the state laminated with the separator AS.
[0152] The sheet cartridge 41 has an outer shell formed by a single
cartridge casing 42 in which are received a supply reel 43 for
rolling out the ink image-receiving sheet AC, a sheet take-up reel
44 for taking up a used portion of the ink image-receiving sheet
AC, and a separator take-up reel 45 for taking up the separator AS.
The supply reel 43 can perform free rotation, while the sheet
take-up reel 44 and the separator take-up reel 45 are each mounted
on a drive shaft, not shown, such that they can be driven thereon
for rotation. Further, within the sheet cartridge 41, there is
formed a sheet traveling passage 46 extending from the supply reel
43 to the sheet take-up reel 44.
[0153] Around the supply reel 43 is wound the unused ink
image-receiving sheet AC in the form of a roll with the separator
AS inside. More specifically, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is
wound around the supply reel 43 in a state in which rigidity is
imparted to the sheet AC by the separator AS and one portion of the
ink image-receiving sheet AC is prevented by the separator AS from
adhering to another portion of the ink image-receiving sheet
AC.
[0154] The sheet take-up reel 44 causes the ink image-receiving
sheet AC laminated with the separator AS to rolled out from the
supply reel 43, and takes up the used ink image-receiving sheet AC
fed along the sheet traveling passage 46. During this process, the
separator AS is peeled off the ink image-receiving sheet AC before
printing is effected on the ink image-receiving sheet AC, and taken
up by the separator take-up reel 45.
[0155] Next, the image-forming apparatus according to the second
embodiment will be described. The image-forming apparatus 50 has
the sheet cartridge 41 mounted therein, and performs printing on
the ink image-receiving sheet AC rolled out from the supply reel
43. Then, the printed portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC
is overlaid to the medium body AM and subjected to heat treatment
in this state, followed by the heated ink image-receiving sheet AC
being removed from the medium body AM.
[0156] As shown in FIG. 7, the image-forming apparatus 50 includes
peeling means (45) arranged above the sheet traveling passage 46,
for peeling the separator AS off the ink image-receiving sheet AC
being fed along the sheet traveling passage 46 from the supply reel
43, a printer device 51 for carrying out printing on the ink
image-receiving sheet AC, and a heater device 52 for applying heat
treatment to the ink image-receiving sheet AC. Further, the
apparatus 50 includes a conveyor device, not shown, arranged below
the sheet traveling passage 46, for carrying the medium body AM. In
the figure, a casing of the apparatus 50 is not shown.
[0157] The peeling means (45) is formed by the separator take-up
reel 45 interposed between the supply reel 43 and the printer
device 51. The printer device 51 is generally identical in
construction to the printer device 11 of the first embodiment. More
specifically, the printer device 51 is comprised of a head unit, a
carriage motor as a drive source, and a reciprocating mechanism
which receives torque from the carriage motor to reciprocate the
head unit. The head unit is comprised of an ink jet head having a
plurality of nozzles formed in an underside surface thereof, an ink
cartridge which supplies sublimable dye ink to the ink jet head,
and a carriage carrying the ink jet head and the ink cartridge.
[0158] In the present embodiment, similarly to the first
embodiment, a carriage is caused to reciprocate by the
reciprocating mechanism, and during the reciprocating motion of the
carriage, ink droplets are properly ejected from the ink jet head,
whereby printing is effected on the ink image-receiving sheet AC.
More specifically, in the present embodiment, while the ink
image-receiving sheet AC passing under the head unit is
intermittently fed along the sheet traveling passage 46, the head
unit performs reciprocating motion in a direction orthogonal to the
direction of feeding of the ink image-receiving sheet AC, whereby
printing is performed on the ink image-receiving sheet AC. It
should be noted that the printing is effected over an area of the
ink image-receiving sheet AC which is slightly larger than a
surface area of the medium body AM.
[0159] The heater device 52 is generally identical in construction
to the heater device 31 of the first embodiment. More specifically,
the heater device 52 is formed by a so-called non-contact heater
which can face the ink image-receiving sheet AC being fed, in a
spaced non-contacting fashion. The heater device 52 is arranged
above the sheet traveling passage 46 and connected to a heater-side
controller 53, which controls the heating temperature of the heater
device 52.
[0160] The conveyor device, not shown, is comprised of a transfer
mechanism for transferring the medium body AM and an overlay
mechanism for overlaying the medium body AM to the ink
image-receiving sheet AC. The medium body AM is transferred by the
transfer mechanism to the heater device 52, where the surface of
the medium body AM is overlaid to an opposite surface of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC to the image-forming surface of the same
by the overlay mechanism.
[0161] Description will now be given of a process of forming an
image on a medium body AM by the use of the image-forming apparatus
constructed above. The ink image-receiving sheet AC is fed with its
image-receiving surface facing toward the printer device 51 while
having the separator AS on the surface thereof being peeled off by
the peeling means (45). The image is printed on the ink
image-receiving sheet AC by using sublimable dye ink, such that the
printing is effected on an area of the ink image-receiving sheet AC
which is slightly larger than the size of the medium body AM. More
specifically, image printing is carried out indirectly on the
medium body AM, whereby the ink image-receiving sheet AC is
impregnated with ink droplets.
[0162] The printed portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC is
fed to the heater device 52 by rotation of the sheet take-up reel
44. On the other hand, the medium body AM is fed to the heater
device 52 by the transfer mechanism. During this operation, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is fed to the heater device 52 with its
image-receiving surface facing toward the heater device 52 above
and the opposite surface thereto facing toward the medium body AM
below. The feed of the image-receiving sheet AC and the medium body
AM is stopped when the printed portion of the image-receiving sheet
AC and the medium body AM reach a position opposed to the heater
device 52, and the medium body AM is aligned on the printed portion
of the image-receiving sheet AC via the overlay mechanism and then
overlaid to the same. When heat treatment is carried out by the
heater device 52 in this state, the sublimable dye ink held in the
image-receiving sheet AC penetrates into the surface layer, i.e.
the ink-fixing layer 102, of the medium body AM to be subjected to
color development, whereby the image is fixed in the ink-fixing
layer 102.
[0163] After having been subjected to the heat treatment, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is fed along the sheet traveling passage
46 while being separated from the surface of the medium body AM, to
be taken up by the sheet take-up reel 44. When the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is removed from the surface of the medium
body AM, the ink-fixing layer 102 of the medium body AM is exposed.
Thus, the medium body AM or card having the image formed on the
whole surface thereof from edge to edge is produced.
[0164] According to the image-forming method described above, image
printing (transfer) is effected on the medium body AM via the ink
image-receiving sheet AC as a separate member, so that ink droplets
are not directly deposited on the medium body AM. Further, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is formed to have a larger size than that
of the medium body AM, so that even when printing is carried out up
to an area of the ink image-receiving sheet AC slightly beyond the
surface of the medium body AM, it is possible to reliably form an
image on the whole surface of the medium body laterally and
longitudinally in a edge-to-edge fashion.
[0165] It should be noted that the medium body AM may be
constructed to have the same laminate structures on the respective
opposite sides thereof so as to permit double-sided printing in
which after an image is formed on one side of the medium body AM,
another image is formed on the other side of the same.
[0166] Further, the print medium may be configured such that the
ink image-receiving sheet AC has no separator AS on the surface
thereof and the ink image-receiving sheet AC itself has rigidity
and is capable of preventing one portion thereof from adhering to
another thereof when it is wound into a roll. More specifically,
the ink image-receiving sheet AC may be formed of a sheet substrate
layer and an ink image-receiving layer laminated (coated) on the
sheet substrate layer. In this case, the ink image-receiving sheet
AC is wound into a roll with the sheet substrate layer inside.
Although in the above embodiment, the ink image-receiving sheet AC
in the form of a roll is employed, an ink image-receiving sheet AC
may be in the form of a cut sheet.
[0167] Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described
with reference to FIG. 8. The present embodiment is a variation
from the second embodiment. More specifically, in the third
embodiment, an ink image-receiving sheet AC and a separator AS are
positioned upside down in their positional relationship, in
comparison with the second embodiment. Accordingly, the present
embodiment is distinguished from the second embodiment by the
construction of a sheet cartridge and the like. In the following,
description of portions similar to those of the second embodiment
will be omitted.
[0168] The ink image-receiving sheet AC, which is generally
identical in construction to the ink image-receiving sheet AC of
the first embodiment, is formed of a hydrophilic resin material
which is capable of temporarily holding sublimable dye ink directly
ejected thereon for printing and made easy to peel by heating.
Further, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is formed to have a size
larger than that of a medium body AM. That is, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC has a surface width slightly larger than
that of the medium body AM.
[0169] Further, the ink image-receiving sheet AC has the separator
AS affixed to an opposite surface thereof to an image-forming
surface thereof. The separator AS is also identical in construction
to the separator AS of the first embodiment, and imparts rigidity
to the ink image-receiving sheet AC. The ink image-receiving sheet
AC is contained in a sheet cartridge 61 in the state laminated with
the separator AS.
[0170] The sheet cartridge 61 is also generally identical in
construction to the sheet cartridge 41 of the second embodiment,
but the present embodiment is distinguished from the second
embodiment in that the separator AS is taken up at a downstream
location within a cartridge casing 62. In the present embodiment,
the sheet cartridge 61 having an outer shell formed by the single
cartridge casing 62 contains a supply reel 63 for rolling out the
ink image-receiving sheet AC, and a separator take-up reel 64 for
taking up the separator AS. The supply reel 63 can perform free
rotation, while the separator take-up reel 64 can be driven for
rotation. Further, within the sheet cartridge 61, there is formed a
sheet traveling passage 65 extending from the supply reel 63 to the
separator take-up reel 64.
[0171] The unused ink image-receiving sheet AC with the separator
AS affixed to an outer surface thereof is wound around the supply
reel 63 into a roll. More specifically, the ink image-receiving
sheet AC is wound around the supply reel 63 in a state of rigidity
being imparted thereto by the separator AS and one portion thereof
being prevented from adhering to another by the same, such that the
ink image-receiving sheet AC can be rolled out. The supply reel 63
is arranged at a location upstream of a printer device 71. On the
other hand, the separator take-up reel 64 is arranged at a location
downstream of the printer device 71. The separator take-up reel 64
is driven by a drive shaft, not shown, for rotation to roll out the
separator AS with the ink image-receiving sheet AC affixed thereto
from the supply reel 63 and to take up the separator AS at the same
time.
[0172] More specifically, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is
rolled out from the supply reel 63 by rotation of the separator
take-up reel 64 and fed to the printer device 71 in a manner guided
along the sheet traveling passage 65 by the separator AS affixed
thereto. Then, a medium body AM is overlaid upon a printed portion
of the ink image-receiving sheet AC, and the remainder of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is taken up together with the separator AS
by the separator take-up reel 64.
[0173] Next, brief description will be given of an image-forming
apparatus according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8,
the image-forming apparatus 70 is comprised of a printer block 70a
in which the sheet cartridge 61 is mounted, and which performs
printing on the ink image-receiving sheet AC and overlays a medium
body AM to the printed portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC,
and a heater block 70b for heating the medium body AM after the
overlay process. In the figure, an apparatus casing is not
shown.
[0174] The printer block 70a includes the printer device 71 similar
to the printer device 51 of the second embodiment, and has the
sheet cartridge 61 mounted therein such that the supply reel 63 is
arranged on the sheet traveling passage 65 at a location upstream
of the printer device 71, and the separator take-up reel 64
arranged at a location downstream of the printer device 71. The
printer device 71 prints an image on the image-receiving surface,
i.e. the upper surface of the ink image-receiving sheet AC
protected by the separator AS from below, by using sublimable dye
ink. Similarly to the second embodiment, the printing is effected
on an area of the ink image-receiving sheet AC slightly larger than
the surface area of the medium body AM.
[0175] Further, the printer block 70a includes a feed means, not
shown, for feeding a medium body AM, an overlay means, not shown,
for overlaying the medium body AM to the ink image-receiving sheet
AC, a separation means, not shown, for separating the medium body
AM overlaid to the ink image-receiving sheet AC from the separator
AS together with the ink image-receiving sheet AC, and a transfer
means, not shown, for transferring the separated medium body AM to
the heater block 70b. The feed means feeds the medium body AM such
that the ink-fixing layer 102 of the medium body AM can face toward
the image-receiving surface of the ink image-receiving sheet
AC.
[0176] The overlay means aligns and overlays the medium body AM to
an ink-holding portion of the image-receiving surface of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC, which is formed by sublimable dye ink
impregnated into the image-receiving surface and held in the same.
More specifically, the medium body AM is properly overlaid to the
ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC in intimate
contact with the same by the overlay means, and firmly affixed to
the ink image-receiving sheet AC so as to prevent separation of the
medium body AM from the ink image-receiving sheet AC. It should be
noted that even if slight displacement occurs between the medium
body AM and the ink-holding portion at this time, since the printed
portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC is larger in area than
the medium body AM, the surface of the medium body AM can be
overlaid with the ink-holding portion from edge to edge.
[0177] The separation means properly separates the medium body AM
overlaid to the ink image-receiving sheet AC from the separator AS.
More specifically, the separation means severs non-printed portions
of the ink image-receiving sheet AC from respective opposite sides
of the medium body AM overlaid to the printed portion of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC, in the sheet-feeding direction, without
cutting the separator AS, by linearly cutting along the respective
boundaries between the printed portion and the non-printed
portions, whereby the medium body AM is separated from the
separator AS. In this case, the ink image-receiving sheet AC is cut
such that the portion thereof affixed to the medium body AM can
have a larger surface width than that of the medium body AM. It
should be noted that the medium body AM may be separated from the
separator AS by being peeled off along cutting lines formed on the
ink image-receiving sheet AC in advance, instead of being cut as
described above.
[0178] The transfer means transfers the separated medium body AM to
the cutter block 70b and brings the ink image-receiving sheet AC
affixed to the medium body AM to a heater device 72. On the other
hand, the separator AS separated from the medium body AM is taken
up, together with part of the remainder of the ink image-receiving
sheet AC, by the separator take-up reel 64 in accordance with
rotation of the same. Preferably, the overlay means, the separation
means and the transfer means are implemented by a unitary
device.
[0179] The heater block 70b includes a heater device 72 similar to
the heater device 52 of the second embodiment. More specifically,
the heater device 72 is formed by a so-called non-contact heater
which can face the ink image-receiving sheet AC on the medium body
AM delivered after the separation, in a spaced non-contacting
fashion. The heater device 72 is connected to a heater-side
controller 73, which controls the heating temperature of the heater
device 72.
[0180] Description will now be given of a process of forming an
image on a medium body AM by the use of the image-forming apparatus
70 constructed as above. The ink image-receiving sheet AC is fed,
with its image-receiving surface or upper surface facing toward the
printer device 71, in accordance with feed of the separator AS
affixed to the lower surface thereof. The image is printed on the
ink image-receiving sheet AC by using sublimable dye ink, such that
the printing is effected on an area of the ink image-receiving
sheet AC which is slightly larger than the size of the medium body
AM.
[0181] After the printing of the image is completed, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is further sent forward by rotation of the
separator take-up reel 64, and the medium body AM is overlaid to
the ink-holding portion of the ink image-receiving sheet AC by the
overlay means. After having been overlaid with the medium body AM,
the ink image-receiving sheet AC is separated from the separator AS
together with the medium body AM by the separation means, in a
state of being laminated to the ink-fixing layer 102 of the medium
body AM, and the separator AS separated from the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is taken up by the separator take-up reel
64. The medium body AM is brought to the heater device 72 by the
transfer means. When the medium body AM is heated by the heater
device 72, the sublimable dye ink held in the image-receiving sheet
AC penetrates into the surface or ink-fixing layer 102 of the
medium body AM to be subjected to color development, whereby the
image is fixed in the ink-fixing layer 102.
[0182] The ink image-receiving sheet AC having been subjected to
the heat treatment is easy to peel off the medium body AM.
Therefore, when a user removes the ink image-receiving sheet AC
from the surface of the medium body AM at this stage, the
ink-fixing layer 102 is exposed, and the medium body AM or card
having the image formed on the whole surface thereof from edge to
edge is produced.
[0183] According to the image-forming method described above, since
rigidity is imparted to the ink image-receiving sheet AC by the
separator AS, it is possible to bring the ink image-receiving sheet
AC to a proper position facing the printer device 71 as well as to
properly overlay the medium body AM to the ink image-receiving
sheet AC.
[0184] It is preferred that one of the medium body AM or the
image-receiving sheet AC has an appropriate stickiness on a surface
thereof for contact with the other. This stickiness enables them to
be properly overlaid to each other and facilitates separation of
the image-receiving sheet AC from the separator AS together with
the medium body AM.
[0185] Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described
with reference to FIG. 9. The present embodiment is a variation
from the third embodiment. More specifically, in the fourth
embodiment, an ink image-receiving sheet AC is constructed such
that it is capable of maintaining its own rigidity without being
provided with a separator AS, and preventing one portion thereof
from sticking to another in a state wound into a roll, and printing
and heat treatment are carried out in the course of travel of the
ink image-receiving sheet AC being taken up. Therefore, the present
embodiment is distinguished from the third embodiment by points
described below.
[0186] Also in the present embodiment, the ink image-receiving
sheet AC is comprised of a sheet substrate layer 110 having
rigidity and an ink image-receiving layer 111 laminated (coated) on
the sheet substrate layer 110, and wound into a roll with the sheet
substrate layer 110 as an outer layer. Accordingly, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is taken up within a cartridge casing 62
of a sheet cartridge 61. The sheet cartridge 61 having an outer
shell formed by the single cartridge casing 62 contains a supply
reel 63 for rolling out the ink image-receiving sheet AC and a
take-up reel 64 for taking up the ink image-receiving sheet AC.
Further, within the sheet cartridge 61, there is formed a sheet
traveling passage 65 extending from the supply reel 63 to the
take-up reel 64.
[0187] The image-forming apparatus 70 according to the fourth
embodiment is comprised of a printer block 70a and a heater block
70b similar to those of the third embodiment, the heater block 70b
facing the sheet traveling passage 65 within the sheet cartridge
61. More specifically, a printer device 71 is arranged on an
upstream side of the sheet traveling passage 65, and a heater
device 72 on a downstream side of the same, such that the printer
device 71 can face the ink-receiving layer 111 of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC, while the heater device 72 can face the
sheet substrate layer 110. Further, the image-forming apparatus 70
of the present embodiment includes feed means, overlay means and
separation means generally similar to those of the third
embodiment.
[0188] The heater device 72 may be implemented by a non-contact
heater similarly to the above embodiments. However, in the present
embodiment, it is formed as a thermal presser (whose heat source
may be electric power, light or any other thing available). More
specifically, the thermal presser carries out heat treatment by
bringing the ink image-receiving sheet AC into pressure contact
with the medium body AM from the sheet substrate layer side and at
the same time heating them. The thermal presser may take a
plurality of forms, not shown. For example, it is formed by a pair
of rollers which rotate at a constant speed to feed the ink
image-receiving sheet AC and the medium body AM simultaneously
while holding the same in a sandwiching manner, with at least the
ink image-receiving sheet-side roller functioning as a heating
roller. Alternatively, it may be formed by a thermal pressing
mechanism which heats the ink image-receiving sheet AC and the
medium body AM while sandwiching or pressing them therein. The
thermal presser may be also configured to cooperate with the
overlay means.
[0189] Brief description will now be given of a process of forming
an image on a medium body AM by the use of the image-forming
apparatus 70 of the present embodiment. The ink image-receiving
sheet AC which has been rolled out from the supply reel 63 and
subjected to printing has the ink-holding portion thereof overlaid
with the medium body AM from the ink image-receiving layer side by
the overlay means, and is heated from the sheet substrate layer
side by the heater device 72. As a result, sublimable dye ink held
in the image-receiving sheet AC penetrates into a surface or
ink-fixing layer 102 of the medium body AM for color
development.
[0190] The medium body AM having been subjected to the heat
treatment is separated from the ink image-receiving sheet AC and
supplied to the user as a card printed with the image. On the other
hand, the ink image-receiving sheet AC separated from the medium
body AM is taken up by the take-up reel 64. Consequently, the
image-forming method of the present embodiment also makes it
possible to reliably form an image on the whole surface of the
medium body AM laterally and longitudinally in an edge-to-edge
fashion, and further to transfer the image to the medium body AM
efficiently and reliably by the thermal pressing operation.
[0191] Next, a fifth embodiment of the invention will be described
with reference to FIG. 10. The present embodiment is a variation
from the third embodiment, and similar to the third embodiment in
that the identical sheet cartridge 61 is employed. However, the
fifth embodiment is partially different from the third embodiment
in the order of processing steps carried out by devices and means.
More specifically, in the present embodiment, a medium body AM is
overlaid (laminated) on an ink image-receiving sheet AC, and then
the medium body AM laminated with the ink image-receiving sheet AC
is separated from a separator AS. Thereafter, printing, heating and
removal of the ink image-receiving sheet AC are sequentially
carried out.
[0192] An image-forming apparatus 70 according to the fifth
embodiment is comprised of an overlay/separation block 70c in which
the sheet cartridge 61 is mounted, and which overlays a medium body
AM to the ink image-receiving sheet AC and then separates the
medium body AM laminated with the ink image-receiving sheet AC from
the separator AS, a printer block 70a including a printer device 71
for printing on the ink image-receiving sheet AC overlaid to the
medium body AM, and a heater block 70b including a heater device 72
for heating the printed medium body AM. In the figure, an apparatus
casing is not shown.
[0193] The overlay/separation block 70c is comprised of a feed
means for feeding a medium body AM, an overlay means for overlaying
the medium body AM to the ink image-receiving sheet AC, a
separation means for separating the medium body AM laminated with
the ink image-receiving sheet AC from the separator AS, and a
transfer means for transferring the separated medium body AM to the
printer block 70a, which are similar to those described in the
third embodiment. In the present embodiment, the overlay means
laminates the medium body AM to the ink image-receiving sheet AC in
a non-printed state by an adhesive coated on one of the ink
image-receiving sheet AC and the medium body AM. On the other hand,
the separation means separates the medium body AM from the
separator AS together with the ink image-receiving sheet AC in a
state in which the ink image-receiving sheet covers even end faces
of the surface of the medium body AM. Preferably, the ink
image-receiving sheet AC is formed with cutting lines.
[0194] Brief description will be given of a process of forming an
image on a medium body AM by the use of the image-forming apparatus
70 of the present embodiment. The ink image-receiving sheet AC is
rolled out from a supply reel 63 and advanced by rotation of a
separator take-up reel 64, and the medium body AM is overlaid to
the ink image-receiving sheet AC by the overlay means at a
predetermined position. Then, the ink image-receiving sheet AC
overlaid with the medium body AM is separated from the separator AS
by the separation means together with the medium body AM in a state
laminated to the ink-fixing layer 102 of the medium body AM.
Thereafter, the separator AS which has been separated is taken up
by the separator take-up reel 64, while the medium body AM is
transferred to the printer device 71 by the transfer means.
[0195] When the medium body AM is brought to the printer device 71,
image printing is carried out on the ink image-receiving sheet AC
overlaid to the medium body AM, by the use of sublimable dye ink,
and then the medium body AM is delivered to the heater device 72.
The medium body AM laminated with the ink image-receiving sheet AC
is heated by the heater device 72, whereby the image is fixed in
the ink-fixing layer 102. When the user peels the ink
image-receiving sheet AC off the medium body AM, the ink-fixing
layer 102 is exposed, whereby the medium body AM or card having the
image formed on the whole surface thereof from edge to edge is
produced.
[0196] According to the present image-forming method, since the ink
image-receiving sheet AC and the medium body AM are provided
separately, and the medium body AM is overlaid to the ink
image-receiving sheet AC before printing, it is possible to prevent
displacement of the image on the ink image-receiving sheet AC with
respect to the medium body AM. It should be noted that the overlay
block 70c and the sheet cartridge 61 may be incorporated in the
apparatus as the feeder in the first embodiment.
[0197] Further, in all the embodiments described above, it is
preferred that the ink image-receiving sheet AC is formed of a
material having a dark color (e.g. gray). This makes it possible to
heat the whole surface of the ink image-receiving sheet AC
uniformly in the heat treatment by a lamp light source, such as a
halogen lamp, thereby forming a high-quality image without
unevenness of printing on the surface of the medium body AM.
[0198] Further, although in the above embodiments, the respective
printer devices perform printing by the ink jet printing method,
this is not limitative, but the thermal printing method may be
employed. In this case, even after thermal printing is performed,
it is required to heat a print medium again for heat treatment.
[0199] It is further understood by those skilled in the art that
the foregoing is a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that
various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit and scope thereof.
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